Ella Rak impressed us with her writing ability and fun style so much that she made it to the Final Four of EN’s 2013 Blogger Contest. As with the rest of the finalists, we invited Ella to contribute a weekly piece to the site. Thanks to Ella for writing, and thank you for reading.
Volunteering at an event is one of many ways to get your horse fix. Photo by Samantha Clark.
From Ella:
I have been pretty distant from eventing this year, having retired my first horse in February, so my interactions with the sport have been from afar. To even attempt to be an eventer requires a severe equine addiction, so I have had to get my fixes through other methods during my search for a new horse: grooming and volunteering at events, working at the barn and even writing this column. At some point, we will all end up horseless for some length of time, so I thought I could share some of my survival techniques to being a horseless eventer.
The most important thing I have found to surviving without the enjoyment of a daily ride, is staying involved as much as you can, and even trying to get ahead in the aspects you can. Just because you aren’t in the saddle doesn’t mean your learning has to stop. Watching others ride can help you visualize the things you are feeling on horseback, and when you can connect theory behind it to what you are seeing, a million light bulbs can go off. By watching others, you can get your horse fix as well as learn some new things along the way (It is also way cheaper; lessons are expensive!).
Volunteer. If you have read my past posts on EN, you can see I am really into local horse shows and how much they can teach us, so go lend a hand at your local horse trial or combined test. A new perspective on the sport can really help, as well as giving you some of the excitement of competing. Instead of an entry fee, you get a free lunch and sometimes even schooling passes. You can save the passes for when you you finally get a new horse, or you can pass them on to a worthy friend.
When you aren’t pouring all of your life savings into a horse, you also have the advantage of this foreign concept: not being broke. I have taken this opportunity to save, but also to invest in those items I have constantly put off buying due to pesky things like board and vet bills. I’ll finally get to wear my new white breeches that don’t have a large permanent green spot on the butt and a jacket that actually covers my forearms. This can be a much-needed break for your wallet while also helping you to re-evaluate your spending.
Another way to absorb as much information as you can during your horse-less “vacation” is by reading. A lot. I am talking blogs (go Eventing Nation!), websites, books, rulebooks, pamphlets, Snapple caps, etc. I don’t care what it is; if it has words on it that relate to horses, read it. The librarians must think I’m crazy, but I am sure I will appreciate it when I finally have a new horse to compete. Riding is far, far more than just theory, but reading can help so much in the long run.
Ride any time you can. After a few months on the ground, getting back on hurts! Take that trail ride with a friend as a chance to test out those muscles that have been dormant for a while, so you don’t waste time when things start rolling again. (This test can also push you to ramp up your out-of-the-saddle conditioning plan when you can’t walk the next day). Diversifying your riding repertoire can be a fun way to get more time in the saddle too. You might not want to stay in the hunter world, but a ride is a ride, so be open to all possibilities.
Keep your eyes open. There are opportunities to work with horses all around you if you are just willing. It can be incredibly disheartening watching the calendar flip and the omnibus get shorter, but if you make the most of your time out of the saddle, you will appreciate your time back in it that much more. Most of all, don’t ever give up. It can certainly seem like every horse ever is lame, too expensive or the wrong fit, but in the end, it is all about the one thing that makes us pour our lives into an animal to compete in a dangerous sport: our passion for the game. You’ve got to play to win.
